Reality: the Magic That Turns Courage into Dreams
by Sami-Fire
Summary: Richter talks about his past with Aster, including how they first met and how he came to be as he was in the events of the main game.
1. Chapter 1: The Beginning is the End

Author's Notes:

This is my first real attempt at writing fanfiction. I tried to keep the characters as close to in-character as possible, but I'm not entirely sure of my success rate. Richter really should be a bit grumpier, but I guess the lack of that trait is somewhat justified in the scenes where he's younger. Not much, though. There are also some sections that are really just built around cheap gags...

Logic quibbles and weird miscalculations abound... I would really like it if I could get someone to help me bash this into something vaguely resembling a presentable form. There is a version with my "editor's notes" tucked away in brackets, but I took them out for people who just want to read something. Some may have accidentally slipped through, though...

Well, here it is. I hope it's not too bad.

Update: ...And apparently, it wasn't! I really only kept the fic as "in-progress" in case I had to give it any major overhauls. For all intents and purposes, this story is complete.

* * *

_Can you tell us a bit about your time with Aster?_

Well… he had a bit of a hair-pulling habit. Pulling other people's hair, that is. And by other people, I mean that he liked to pull MY hair.

So, that day, I felt a light tug on my hair as I had seemingly every day since I had started growing it out. I turned around, and…

"Hey, Richter… are you ready to go?"

I brushed some of my hair out of the way- an action that had become an almost subconscious reflex to keep Aster from getting at it. I would almost always be too late. "Aster, this is a serious matter. You know that you can't act recklessly when you actually meet Ratatosk and the Centurions."

Aster's demeanor shifted. It was rare to see him in a completely serious mood, but I could tell that he was fully committed to his plan. "I know that. It's like you keep forgetting that I'm not a kid anymore, Richter. I'm not just going to goof off while negotiating the balance of the world's Mana, you know." And just like that, he melted back into his normal, somewhat relaxed stance. "But that doesn't mean I have to stay that way for the entire duration of the trip! Besides, you're the one who's all serious business all the time. I'm here to keep you from losing it! You think about certain things and that makes you depressed which makes you think about certain things which makes you depressed which makes you think about certain things which makes you…"

"I get the hint, Aster." More often than not, Aster really did cheer me up. But there were also times that he made me even more nervous, like at that point. I was not feeling very optimistic about the possible outcomes of our mission. "I'm ready. I think it's time for us to set out."

But Aster didn't move. Instead, he suddenly became serious again. "Richter… you're nervous, aren't you?" I couldn't respond. He was just too sensitive to my moods. He reached forward, took my hand, and gave it a squeeze. "Don't be." I just looked at my hand in his. He could be too touchy-feely for my tastes sometimes, and this was no exception. Not that I always minded, really. "Just remember… Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality. If we walk in there with complete confidence that we'll succeed, I'm sure that we will succeed. So don't worry too much, all right?" Another squeeze, this one tighter than the first.

I told you he had a few screws loose. But that time, I felt compelled to squeeze his hand back.


	2. Chapter 2: Where We Met, Nine Years Ago

I first met Aster nine years ago. He was nine, and I was eleven. He was a child prodigy, and I was just another half-elf locked away in the basement. I never really received much positive attention. The other half-elf researchers ignored me or acted indifferently toward me (how could a child help them with their research?), and the humans had absolutely nothing good to say to me (something that I think goes without saying). Somehow, I had ended up in the same room as some of the younger students (They were in their teens, if I recall correctly) and events progressed to their logical conclusion. I need to digress for a moment: my vision was and still is not very good. If I don't have my glasses, I tend to walk into objects whether they're in my way or not. Those students had stolen my glasses, and I was desperately trying and failing to get them back. I still remember their taunts…

"He's not just a half-elf… he's blind, too!"

"Why'd he have to get dumped off here, though? The dump's just a short walk away!"

"Come on! They've got the basement for that 'special' kind of trash."

"Yeah! Why don't you go back to the basement, half-breed?"

I pleaded with them as long as I could… and then made the dangerous mistake of trying to tackle the one who had my glasses. Needless to say, I was no match for that person, much less the ensuing dogpile they all joined in on. Unable to take much more physical or mental abuse, I gave up and tried to get away, but their leader grabbed me and held me off the ground.

And this is when Aster enters my story. I had heard vague rumors of some new child genius that would be joining the researchers soon. I felt no need to concern myself with whoever the new person was. I just assumed it would be another human to kick me around and made a note to myself to stick to helping out in the basement.

What I expected and what I got were two very different things. That boy nearly walked right by us, but then stopped and came back. One of my tormentors said, "Hey, it's that new kid!" That seemed to be the signal for them to investigate him, but not the signal to let me go (not that I would have gotten very far without my glasses). They surrounded Aster and started asking a flood of questions. Aster stared blankly at them, then said:

"Who's that with you? You didn't introduce me to him."

"Oh, this?" said the leader. "He's one of those basement-dwellers. Here's a lesson for you, kid: don't hang with the basement-dwellers. They're so low-down that they corrupt you if you just stand near them."

Another crony added, "We're risking our lives to protect you! You know, from being… corrupted!"

They were met with more staring from Aster… except that he was staring at me this time. I felt fairly certain that this would be the end for me in some way or another. Aster shrugged and said, "I don't know… it looks like he wants to go back to the basement. Why don't you let him go?"

"Well, if only just as a favor for the new kid." He let me go, and I hit the ground with a thud… and then proceeded to head in the opposite direction of the basement door before crashing right into a nearby table, much to the delight of my captors.

Aster ran over to me. "Are you okay?" he asked. I pulled away and didn't respond to him. His concern could just as well have been fake. He then turned to the older boys. "Doesn't he have some glasses or someone to help him get around?"

The reply felt like a stab through my heart: "Nope. He's just another one of those idiot half-elves. Y'know… special." More laughter.

Aster looked at me, and then looked back at them. "That's not nice at all! How can you say such a thing? …I'll ask again… does he have glasses or someone to help him get around?"

There was a tense silence, but the leader finally spoke up. "The answer's still no, Aster." He walked off with the rest of his group. I tried to crawl away from Aster, but ended up bumping my head into a leg of that same table. I froze up. If anything was going to happen, there wasn't going to be anything I could do about it. A bad ending seemed like the sole fate of a half-elf at the time.

I collapsed, but Aster held me up and said, "I don't think those guys were telling the truth. You do have glasses, don't you?" I could do nothing more but stare into those large olive-green eyes. What would he do if he found my glasses? Break them? I expected him to just leave me there. "By the way, what's your name? Don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you." He was talking to me like someone would talk to a frightened animal. That's a fairly apt comparison for the situation, of course. I still didn't say anything. He had asked my name and promised not to hurt me, but many others had done the same and betrayed that promise. And yet, I felt I just had to trust him. Maybe he would help me. I finally mustered up the courage for a tremulous whisper.

"I'm… Richter. They took my glasses, and-"

"Nice to meet you, Richter! My name's Aster." Those were words that seemed to be a myth until now. Was a human really excited to meet a half-elf? He looked around, and then began to whisper. "I'll bring you down to the basement so that those guys won't go back to picking on you for a bit. And then I'll try and get your glasses back."

"R-really? You won't break them?"

"Of course not! Glasses are expensive, aren't they? …I think we ought to go. They might come back soon." I obeyed his guiding hand down the stairs, and I was soon in the dank comfort of the basement once more.

Later that night, I heard the door to the basement creak open. I sat right up in bed, still afraid of noises in the night. There were footsteps. I pulled the covers closer to me, as though hiding under them would save me from a larger human hell-bent on revenge of some sort. I still ached where the boys had hit me and I was quite sure I had come away with some bruises. The adults tended to the cuts and scrapes, but I couldn't really see how many bruises I had. The footsteps came closer and louder still. I hid under the useless covers. When I finally gathered the nerve to peek out, I saw Aster (although I couldn't tell it was him) looking around with something in his hand. We locked eyes, and I immediately went back under the covers. But then I felt a hand on my shoulder, and heard a soft, reassuring whisper.

"Hey, Richter… this is Richter, isn't it?" I cautiously peeked out. "Good! I finally found you. And look what I got back." He slid my glasses back onto my face, and I saw the face of the one who defended me for the first time. "They beat you up pretty bad, didn't they?" I nodded. "But… I've got a question for you. Are you really that blind without your glasses?" It really was an innocent question, but it seemed like an insult at the time.

"Didn't you see me?!" I whispered back. "You saw, didn't you? You think I'm a liar, don't you? Go ahead, side with the other humans. It doesn't make a difference to me."

"I-I'm sorry. I just wanted to know…" He walked away from me, clearly a bit hurt. I realized that my small outburst was the wrong move, so I quickly called him back, apologized, and thanked him profusely for helping me. When I finished, he smiled at me. A human, smiling at a half-elf? It was like the world's rules all broke themselves that day. "You know, Richter… you're pretty much the only other person around my age here, and you don't seem nearly as bad as everyone else says… do you think that we could be friends?" …Friends?! I stared at him in shock. From my experience, humans and half-elves were never friends. However, I took the bait.

"…S-sure, Aster. We could be friends, if you really mean that…"

"Of course! I need a friend around here as much as you do." He extended his hand to me, and I shook it. And then he said the words that would echo for years afterward: "Don't ever be afraid to come talk to me, or to stand up to those bullies. Remember… Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality. If you're confident in yourself, you can do just about anything. That sounds about right, doesn't it?"

For the first time in a very long time, I felt myself smile. "Yeah… I'll remember that. It sounds… important. If that motto helped you get here, I think it might help me, too." That moment of happiness swiftly faded as I saw a bunch of strange, patch-like spots on Aster's neck. I reached up and touched a spot, and realized I was touching a bandage. "Aster… what happened? There's bandages on your neck."

His hand slowly went to his neck, and his own smile faded. "Oh, that? Um… don't worry about it, okay? I just had a little accident along the way. That's all it is." He changed the subject as quickly as I did. "Say… half-elves can use magic, right?" Uh oh. I felt something sink in my stomach, but nodded anyway. "Do you think you can show me a magic trick? Or just any magic? I want to see magic for myself." I almost laughed out loud. It seemed like a ridiculous notion. I could use a little fire magic, but I got yelled at for using my own built-in lighter, so to speak.

"Uh… Sure, I guess. I don't really know any tricks, but I guess I can show you a little magic. I mean, I'd have to find a place where no one was around, but I think I might be able to show you."

"A place? Don't worry. Some older boys showed me a safe spot earlier. They told me when their classes are, so we can go there when they won't be using it. Here's the plan…" Just as he finished outlining his plan, I heard something move, followed by footsteps.

"Aster! There's something moving!" I whispered. If we were caught, there would be no end to the problems that would be unleashed just by our meeting. "I think you've got to get out, Aster."

"Right… see you tomorrow, Richter!" And just like that, he darted up the stairs. The disturbance was just someone checking on me to see if anything started bleeding again. After I assured him that I was about as fine as I could be in my current circumstances, I pondered the day's events. I had a friend. A human friend. A human friend who, if those bandages were any indication, put himself in some sort of danger to help me. A human friend that I would actually meet more than once. This was just the beginning of our story…


	3. Chapter 3: The Reasons For How We Think

About a year or so after we had first met, I decided to ask Aster some pressing questions. We met at our spot, like we'd been doing.

"Aster, why do you keep talking with me and trying to be my 'friend?' Humans and half-elves aren't friends."

"How many times do I have to tell you that it doesn't matter to me what race you are? …Anyway, why would I stop being your friend? You were in trouble, and I don't like watching people kick the dog. I feel that, even if I can help just one person, I've made a difference."

"Oh… so you're one of those idealists." My mind snapped back to something else he said. "Wait… DOG?"

Aster realized his poor word choice. "Oh, sorry! I-I wasn't calling you a dog… although you kind of bark and growl like one when you're mad. Like now! Bark bark, Richter!"

"Aster… I'm not mad at you."

"Really? You sounded like you were going to bite my head off there for a moment. In fact, you sound like you're going to bite my head off a lot of the time. Are you just naturally that grumpy?"

"You didn't figure that out yet?" There was only a little sarcasm in that statement.

"I'm sorry… why did you ask that question, Richter?"

"There's no reason for you to stay around me. You helped me out and now you can leave. That's all I'm worth, anyway. Especially if you think I'm 'naturally grumpy.'" If he was going to betray me like the others, the time to find out was now.

Aster, as usual, had other ideas. "Don't say that, Richter! The only thing I can't stand more than people putting each other down is people putting themselves down. Besides, no matter what you think… you're not a bad person. Not even if you're a half-elf, and you know I think that doesn't have anything to do with it. Not even if you're a little short with people."

The mention of that dog would be etched into my mind, even though it seemed insignificant at the time. His words flew right over my head. "I guess I am kind of a dog, though. When I get into trouble, I don't stand up for myself. I just stand there and take the beating, and then whimper and whine as I leave. Besides-"

"STOP THAT!" Aster could go from fooling around to serious at the drop of a hat. "Did you hear me? Don't put yourself down. You need to understand that you are not a bad person for any reason. You haven't done anything wrong, no matter what those people say. Seriously, have you taken a good look at the others?" I told him that I hadn't. "They're all a bunch of phonies. The kids just want me to do their homework for them, and the adults don't listen much because they think I'm just a kid. But you've been a good listener when I'm the one venting to you, Richter. Don't forget that I need a friend too. I'm there for you, and you're there for me. Isn't that how it's supposed to be?"

Aster knew how to flatter me, that's for sure. "I guess so. But… you're still an idealist."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"I don't know. It's just... unusual."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"You don't need to repeat yourself. It's just different. What are you trying to say?"

"That's it! It's different and there's nothing inherently wrong with it. That's the way I want people to think instead of making a big deal over nothing." We stared at each other silently. "Why haven't you told me about how you felt sooner?"

"I have trouble putting how I feel into words. I think emotions become cheaper once they're reduced to words."

"Just remember: Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality. Stand up to people that are trying to push you back down. Don't ever be afraid to tell me what's on your mind. You don't need to change yourself just because others think you're 'weird.' Not even your barking habit."

"Has anyone told you you've got a few screws loose, Aster?"

"Bark bark, Richter. But how do you really feel? You can always tell me, as long as I can always tell you."


	4. Chapter 4: Learn Your Place, or Get Out

There was another incident a few years later (if I recall correctly, he was twelve and I was fourteen). Aster's class had started some sort of project, and he was given the option to choose anyone near his age as his partner. I think it should be fairly obvious who he chose.

I ended up having to room with him so that I could help him (I can only imagine how many strings Aster had to pull to let that go through). On our way to his room, one of Aster's colleagues stopped us in the hall. "Hey, Aster! Do you have a moment? I want to show you something." Aster agreed and dragged me along, even though I felt certain that there was some kind of catch involved. In his room, while he was looking for whatever it was he planned to show us, much awkward small talk ensued. "So, what are you doing for your project?"

"It's just some research on the Summon Spirits- what they do, how they do it… you know what I mean." This was when he started his research that would eventually lead him to the Centurions and Ratatosk.

"Did you hear that someone else is trying to figure out what Mana itself is made out of?"

"…Yeah." They went back and forth like this for a while. Suddenly, we heard a loud crash and some words that twelve-year-olds shouldn't really know. I nearly jumped out of my seat. Aster got up to go investigate, but the other boy said he'd take care of it. He left the room, and I moved a little closer to Aster.

"Aster… does any of this seem a little weird to you?"

"Yeah, it's really weird. I don't really even talk to Mark all that much." Before I could say anything more, Mark came back inside, mysteriously out of breath. The room was silent except for a Mark's huffing and puffing. Then, for the first time since we'd been dragged in, Mark made eye contact with me.

"Hey, you. Do you speak, or do you just sit there?" I'd hoped to be able to sit this one out, but that didn't look possible now. If I didn't make the right choice, I was in trouble. I decided to respond.

"Yes, but I haven't had a reason to speak."

I was in trouble. "What, do you think you're too good to speak to us, then?" My dilemma was that I was trapped in a lose-lose situation. If I tried to prove him wrong, he wouldn't believe me. If I let the question go over my head, I would prove his point. Aster saved me yet again.

"I think he can say that to you, too. You haven't spoken to him at all or made any attempt to seem friendly. Anyway, why did you-"

Before the inevitable confrontation, one of Mark's friends barged in. "Hey… we finished out there. Will you let us back into our room now?"

Mark sprang up. "Well, as long as you're finished…" His tone changed to one of mock friendliness. "Look at the time! Isn't it time for you guys to go? You've got to get some rest, or you can't work tomorrow! Right? See you later!" He shoved us out the door, and I could have sworn I caught him glaring at both of us. We made our way back down the hallway, utterly confused. We were quiet until we got to Aster's room.

"Well, here we are! It's got to be better than that nasty basement. Even if you're only up here for a few weeks, it's better than nothing, right?" Aster sat down on the bed, ignoring that something was a little off about the room.

"Aster… there's only one bed in here."

Aster jumped right up. "Wait a minute… I knew this place looked different! There really IS only one bed here!"

I shrugged. "I guess I'm sleeping on the floor." I didn't expect much better, but Aster had other ideas.

"You are NOT sleeping on the floor! Besides, there were two beds in here. The other one was just brought up this morning. I think we ought to go look for it. Besides, beds don't just randomly disappear!" He was out the door before I could raise any objections. "You check this end of the hallway, and I'll check that end."

I couldn't find anything at my end of the hallway, but I heard some muffled conversations when I passed the room that Aster and I talked to Mark in. Not long after I passed that room, I heard Aster call me from the other end of the hallway. "Oh, UNBELIEVABLE! Hey, Richter! Come get a look at this!" I raced back to see what Aster found. Well, there was the other bed… at the opposite end of the hallway, blocking the door that led out of here. I was expecting something worse, but all they did was essentially tell me to learn my place or get out- nothing out of the ordinary. I was slightly relieved. Slightly. Aster made some exasperated-sounding noises, then muttered, "Not cool, guys. Not cool at all. So that's what that was all about… Looks like we've gotta haul this thing back to my room. Are you ready for this, Richter?"

"Sure. Besides, it's a fire hazard for everyone, anyway."

I was quite surprised that that was the worst of the trouble they gave me during those few weeks. Aster was becoming quite respected at the institute despite his age, so I think that they just switched their focus from me to him and decided not to push the issue any further. When he arranged for me to be his permanent roommate, they let him get away with that too. Maybe they let me get by because I'd shown that I had some brains as well. Or maybe Aster just refused to work with anyone else for some reason. Come to think of it, why didn't he have a roommate before me? It's too late to find out now.


	5. Chapter 5: A Transition

"Geez, your hair's getting long."

That had to be about the twentieth time he said that that week and the fifth time he'd said it that day, not counting the ridiculous amount of times he'd brought it up before that. I just shrugged it off and said, "Well, it saves money on haircuts," like I had every time we'd gone through this ritual. As usual, Aster's typical response was to pull my hair. That was the only thing that could happen differently. Most of the time he'd just pull from the back, but every once in a while he would try to pull from the front…

Aster would say, "What's wrong with me pulling your hair? You've started fidgeting with it constantly yourself. I mean, really, you're always flipping it or messing with it some way or another. Could you pick a less distracting nervous tic? Pushing your glasses up when you're getting ready to explain something doesn't count." …I found it funny that there was one look I could always give Aster to indicate that his antics weren't funny. "Richter, I was just kidding! Really! Loosen up a bit, okay?"

I was sixteen, he was fourteen, and this is the point where everything starts to line up with the present day's events.

That day, Aster called me over to his desk. "Hey, Richter. Come get a look at this."

The papers he was looking at discussed a kind of summon spirit that existed long before the world was in its present state (that is, before it was split in two). Two years later, we would connect the dots with some other research to identify that spirit as Ratatosk. "This spirit supposedly was capable of controlling the world's mana with monsters and these other spirits called Centurions," he continued. "It supposedly lives in a place called the Ginnungagap, located beneath the Otherworldly Gate."

We had no idea how important this information would eventually become to us. At that point, it just seemed like Aster sharing some random information to break the monotony of research. I said, "Why are you telling me this, Aster?"

Aster shrugged. "Well, it is interesting that there were spirits than the ones we know about today. I wonder if there's more information on these 'Centurions?'" Then he abruptly changed the subject. "Doing some field research on this thing could bring back fantastic results. Who knows? The information we'd find could be groundbreaking! And of course I'd take you along. Maybe I'd finally get to see you fight, too. Really, who's been teaching you? How have you even found the time to work on it?"

"I'll tell you about that later. It's a long story." ...In the end, I never got to tell him that story.

My answer flew right over Aster's head. Even with all his quirks, there was no getting around the fact that he was a researcher. "It could be amazing... We might be the first to uncover new information on these spirits in ages! It would be even more incredible if we actually found the spirit itself!"

There was no way to know that what he was so excited about would someday bring about his end. How would he have reacted if he had made it out alive, in light of the truth behind his "amazing" and "incredible" discovery? I'll never know...


	6. Chapter 6: Aster Dies at the End

"That's not true! Humans and half-elves are a very important part of this-"

"SILENCE!"

Without even a moment's warning, not even a moment to charge the attack, Ratatosk opened fire. And just like that, Aster was gone. The one who had been standing there, arguing in the defense of an entire world with his own style of optimism and idealism… I think it was safe to say that he was dead before he even hit the ground. What I found most disturbing was that, after the blast hit him, he seemed to… I guess you could say that he seemed to be burning. It was a flame that smoldered briefly and then went out, and while he didn't appear to be that badly injured at first, I looked closer and saw that there was definitely blood. The blast has grazed me closely enough to leave wounds that would trouble me for years. I didn't care about the pain, though. I ran over to where Aster had landed. He didn't move. I bent down and touched him… he was still warm, but he was definitely dead. At that very moment, something inside me broke. It struck me that Aster would not be returning with me. One of the most important people in my life was gone for good. I didn't know what I would do without Aster, and I didn't expect to lose him now, after all we'd been through together.

Aster was dead. That was the only reality. Not even the enraged spirit standing just a short distance away, getting ready to finish the job, could steer my mind from any other subject. All I could hear was Aster's name in my head, over and over, like some horrible incantation whose sole purpose it was to drive me mad. Aster. Aster. Aster. Aster, Aster, Aster, Aster, Aster, Aster, Aster… over and over. I dropped all pretenses of stoicism. There was no holding back this indescribable rage. That fiend must be punished for what it has done, I thought. It must die. Die. DIE!

I lunged forward and drove my weapons into Ratatosk with all the force I could muster. Striking something down had never felt so good. The monster collapsed at my feet. I stared at that beast, waiting for it to finally die. Ratatosk then reverted to his core form. Aqua appeared behind me, telling me to destroy the core. I was more than ready to do so until Tenebrae snatched the core out from beneath me. He vanished and took my chance for vengeance with him. That's when my resolve just gave out. I stared into space, trying to comprehend what had happened in that very short time. Those few minutes felt like hours. I was jolted awake by Aqua's voice.

"Master Richter... Your friend is-"

There she was, by Aster's lifeless body. Our eyes met, and she knew she didn't have to say any more. I couldn't speak. I felt like I had died in the attack, and I'm sure that some part of me did. I used all my will to avert my eyes from Aster and Aqua and to move my body out of the Ginnungagap. I staggered out with my mind completely clouded over. Where was Aster? Why didn't he have some cheerful remark to say to keep me sane? Before I could come back to the logical conclusion and break my mind even further, Aqua appeared again.

"Master Richter... I want to help you. What Lord Ratatosk did was... awful. If it will bring you peace of mind, I will help you avenge Aster."

I took a moment to consider her offer. Who could be a better help on my new quest than a Centurion that knew all of the ins and outs of Ratatosk's power? All I could manage was a nod. The clouds around my mind cleared, and I slowly noticed that I was in pain. Horrible, searing pain where that shot had "grazed" me. It had come quite a bit closer than I thought it did. There was quite a bit more blood than I first thought there was, too. Everything faded to black...

When I came to, Aqua was watching over me. Seeing her caused all of the events to flash back. No, Aster was no longer with me, and his killer had escaped nearly scot-free. If I needed to remind myself of the new reality, all I had to do was look at the new scars all over my body, including one on my chest, near my heart... How fitting. I was still in shock, pathetic as that sounds. I started off to the nearest inn with my conscience all fogged over again. I don't think I said a single coherent phrase for days after the incident. The nights were bitingly cold and silent. My wounds would send throbbing, pulsing pains through my body at the most inconvenient of times. I stayed at Sybak for a few more days before I left that place for good. There were just too many memories trying to force their way into my head and make me weak. I had a new objective: find some way to avenge Aster's death. Maybe even bring him back, if I could. I was as prepared to do anything for my friend in his death as I was in his life. As for what came after that... Well, I'm sure you know what brought me here today.

...

Things have changed quite a bit since those days.

Ratatosk really does seem genuinely sorry for his actions in the past, but I don't think I can ever completely forgive him. I think he knows that, too.

...For a thousand years, I have been sentenced to burn.

And for a thousand years, I shall burn. It will be Hell... And where else can the man who sold the world be?

What kind of world will I see a thousand years from now?

I think it's time for you to leave. I'm surprised that Ratatosk let you stay this long. The sooner we start, the better.

...Courage is the magic that turns dreams into reality. I'm sure you're tired of hearing that by now, but that doesn't change the fact that they're words to live by. Now, go back to the outside world. We'll be here, watching the world change as it is rewritten by Ratatosk's new law. As for me...

Well, there's not much else to be said about that that I haven't already said. You have my side of the story. Now it's time for me to pay my dues to this world, and for Ratatosk to pay his.


End file.
